Key-case holder



Apr. 24, 1923. 1,452,727.

w. R. aux-row KEY CASE HOLDER Filed June 8, 1922 INVENTOR BY M ATTORNEYS Patented AH". at, we.

on it it;

WARNER R. BUXTON, OF LONGMEADOW, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO BUXTON, INCORPORATED, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

KEY-CASE HOLDER.

Application filed June 8,

To all whom it may, concern:

Be it known that I, W'ARNER R. BUXTON, citizen of the United States, residing at Longmeadow, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Key-Case Holders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in key case holders such as are employed in key cases for the purpose of supporting key retaining members, such as snap hooks, for swinging movement into and out of the case.

The particular key case holders, with which this invention is particularly concerned, are comparatively simple, one iece members which are usually stamped rom sheet metal and which have the pivots for the key retaining members incorporated into the holders as integral parts thereof, as distinguished from holders wherein the key retaining members are connected thereto through the intermediary of removable pins or the like. In holders of the present type,

of which U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,403,445

granted January 10, 1922, to Daniel E.

Reiter, shows one example, the eyes of the key retaining members cannot be entirely closed until the'members have been assembled in the holder. Numerous disadvantages follow because of this fact. The key retaining members cannot be completely finished at one operation. They cannot be hardened and properly tempered to the proper degree for, whenso treated, the eye cannot later be closed down without breaking or injuring the metal. Consequently, the key retaining members do not generally stand up so well in service as they should because of the insufficient heat treatment. Also the cost of assembly is increased due to the operation of closing down the eyes over the pivots, which operation would otherwise ordinarily be accomplished during the manufacture of the hook without any cost for it is practically as expensive to form a partially closed eye as a completely closed one. This invention is directed to the improvement of that particular class of key holder described to the end of adapting it to receive key retaining members, the eyes of which are completely formed, and of elimimating the disadvantages heretofore thought 1922. Serial No. 566,869.

to be necessarily incident to holders of the type defined.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following description and in the illustrative embodiment of the invention in the accompanying drawings, in which,-

lugs. and 2 are small scale front elevaiJlOIlZlhVlBWS of a key case embodying the invention showing the case opened and closed respectively;

F 1g 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view showing in detail one form of the key case holder;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional viewthereof taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view, taken similarly to Fig. 3 and showing another form of the key case holder;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are enlarged fragmentary front elevational views of the type of key holder shown in Fig. 8 and illustrate three d fferent ways of constructing the integral pivot forming devices so as to permit convenient assembly of the key retaining members thereon;

Figs. 10, 11, and 12 are fragmentary top plan views of the structures shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9 respectively;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional elevational view illustrating how the pivot forming device shown in Figs. 9 and 12 is applied to a key case holder of the type shown in Fig. 5; and

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a third form of key case holder.

Referring to these drawings; the key case holder consists of a small sheet metal plate 15, which is preferably so constructed that it can be formed entirely by stamping or punching operations. It is constructed, in a manner later to be described, with a plurality of integral pivot forming devices. upon which are pivotally mounted a plurality of key retaining members 16, of any suitable form. The key case holder is a separate and distinct unit, adapted to be manufactured and sold as such, and is adapted to be permanently secured in any suitable way to the key case proper.

The key case itself may be constructed in any suitable way and that construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 has been found suitable and is preferred although it is not necessarily essential. The key case, as shown, consists of a single strip of flexible material, such as leather or the like, the end portions 17 of which constitute flaps and are foldable along lines of fold 18 in overlapping relation over the central portion 19,

which constitutes the back of the key case. The flaps 17 may be releasably held together by any suitable means, of which the interengageable male and female fasteners 20 and 21, respectively are an example. The holder 15 is preferably secured to back 19 at a location closely adjacent its upper end and the means shown for securing the holder consists of several eyelet rivets 22.

The key case holder 15 is provided with a plurality of slots 23 adjacent its upper edge and the portions 24 on either side of each slot constitute fingers. The pivot forming devices are disposed across the slots 23 and function to pivotally support the key retaining members 16, each of which has a closed, or substantially closed eye 25, for this purpose. The function of the fingers 24 is to maintain the key retaining members in spaced relation on the holder 15 and to restrain them against undue longitudinal movement on the pivot forming devices to be described. To this end the latter are preferably disposed across their slots 23 intermediate the ends of the latter. The fingers may be left flat, or substantially so, as shown in Figs. 3 and 1, or they may be rolled up in hollow and substantially cylindrical form, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, to form spacing lugs 26, which more efiectively perform their intended functions by reason of the increased thickness (preferably substantially commensurate with the outside diameter of eyes 25) afforded by rolling them up.

The pivot forming devices consist of lugs or projections, which are integral with the holder 15 and extend across and substantially bridge the slots 23; Each lug, however, is connected to the holder at one end only so that a freeend'is left, which may be bent or deflected from its normal position, wherein it is disposed in the same or substantially the same plane as the fingers, to a position out of such plane, whereby the eye 25 may be slipped over the lug and the latter then bent back to its original position.

The result described may be effected in many various ways, a few of which are illustrated in Figs. 7 to 12 inclusive. Thus, as shown in Figs. 7 and 10, the pivot forming device may consist of two lugs 27 each of which is connected at one end to a finger 24c and which extend from opposite side walls of a slot 23 toward each other. The free ends of this pair of lugs may meet one another or there may be a slight space hetween them. One of these lugs may be bent outwardly, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 10, to permit the eye 25 to be slipped over it and then bent back to its original position shown by full lines. This arrangement is suitable where a close restraint of the key retaining members 16 against axial movement is not required for one lug must be at least equal in length to the length of eye 25 measured in the direction of its axis and the length of the other lug represents clearance or the'degree of axial freedom of the key retaining member. The advantage of this arrangement is that the break in the pivot forming device is not so readily apparent, being normally covered by the eye 25. One projection only, as shown at 28 in Fig. 8 may be used, in which case the length of the lug may be made more nearly commensurate with the axial length of eye 25, thereby admitting of less side play of the key retaining members 16. The lug may be longer than the width of its slot 23, as shown at 29 in Fig. 8, and its free end may be received in a recess 30 in the opposite side wall of the slot. This particular lug 29 is made of spring metal whichmay be deflected outwardly within reasonable limits and will spring baclcto the illustrated and pivot forming position shown. The free end of this lug 29 is preferably turned outwardly slightly to facilitate the entrance of eye 25 thereon.

The various ways described for constructing the pivot forming devices are applicable to either typefof holder described, as will be apparent from Fig. 13 in which a spring finger or lug 31, similar to the lug 29 described, is shown as extending from one spacing lug 26 to the opposite lug 26 and as having its free end received in a recess 32 in the opposite spacing lug 26.

It is not necessarily essential that the pivot forming devices extend across the slots intermediate their ends, although this arrangement is generally preferred. Thus. as shown in Fig. 14, a key holder 33 has slots or openings 34 therein closely adjacent its upper edge and the pivot forming device consists of lugs 35 which bridge, or substantially bridge, across these slots at their upper ends.

Vith the type of holder shown in Figs. 3 and 4. I prefer to offset the pivot forming devices from the body of the holder 15 to leave a space between them and the back 19 of the key case, for the purpose of receiving the back portions of eyes 25 and permitting the key retaining members to swing freely. Also this arrangement prevents the bulging of the flexible back 19 by the eyes 25, which would otherwise occur. This ofi'settingmay be efi'ected in many various ways, as .in the patent heretofore alluded to. wherein the devices themselves are bent. I prefer, however, to bend the finger portions 24 of the holder outwardly away from the body of vice will be properly ofi'set away from back' 1 l9 and the particular location shown in Fig.

6 is preferred.

The invention has been disclosed herein for illustrative purposes but the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description.

What Iclaim is:

1. A. key case holder, comprising, a sheet metal plate having a plurality of slots therein adjacent one edge thereof, and lugs integral with the sheet and projecting into the slots to substantially bridge across the latter and support key holders, each of said lugs having one end only attached to the sheet so that its other end may be bent outwardly to permit key holders to be conveniently mounted thereon.

2." A key case holder, comprising, a sheet metal plate having a plurality of slots therein adjacent one edge thereof. and an integral part connected to and extending from one side wall of the slot across the latter and terminating adjacent but not connected to the opposite wall of the slot.

3. A key case holder,icomprising, a sheet metal plate havin a. plurality of slots there in adjacent one e ge thereof and an integral part connected to and extending from one side wall of the slot across .the latter intermediate its ends and terminating adjacent but not connected to the opposite wall of the slot.

4:. A key case holder, comprising, a sheet metal plate havin a plurality of slots therein adjacent one e ge thereof and an integral part connected to and extending from one side wall of the slot across the latter and terminating adjacent but not connected to the opposite wall of the slot, said part being resilient and havin posed substantial y in the same plane as said opposite wall but, capable of being deflected its .free end normally disout of'said plane sufliciently to permit the eye of a key holder to he slipped upon it.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

WARNER R. BUXTON. 

